


Not Afraid of the Dark, Not Afraid of You

by Everybody_Loves_Chocolate



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Past Lives, Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Fairies, Fate, Fate & Destiny, First Meetings, Kissing, Late at Night, Light Smut, M/M, Making Out, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, Mark Lee (NCT)-centric, Marking, Mentioned Huang Ren Jun, Mentioned Lee Jeno, Mentioned Zhong Chen Le, Some Plot, alternate universe - happy is a tag and thats sad, i tried to be a bit poetic again, is making out light smut?, is not a tag but okay, kind of, literally before he even knows hyucks name, okay back to our normal tags, relationship technically develops too fast but at the same time it doesn't, the following universes are touched on, they all appear for like a second
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:42:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25474816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everybody_Loves_Chocolate/pseuds/Everybody_Loves_Chocolate
Summary: Mark meets a boy in the forest he's never seen before but who feels awfully familiar. Everything seems to be a little less significant with him around, like the boy is the only thing that matters.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Kudos: 34





	Not Afraid of the Dark, Not Afraid of You

**Author's Note:**

> Again written late at night and again came to mind as I was reading another fanfiction. It took a different turn than I expected it to but it still turned out nice. Like half of this is them making out though so I don't know how good the plot actually is.

Mark is walking through a dark forest somewhere near the camping site the summer camp is happening at. It was a dare by Chenle to stay in the forest for more than ten minutes because Mark always says he isn’t afraid of the dark but what’s in it. And it’s true. Mark’s more afraid of murderers suddenly materializing behind him than any demons that could hide in the dark. He’s more uncomfortable in dark human made things than dark nature. Actually, he’d say he isn’t afraid of the dark in nature at all.

Mark wanders around aimlessly, using the flashlight of his phone to make sure that he isn’t going to fall down a cliff or something.

At some point he reaches a clearing and decides it’s the perfect place to rest for a bit. Mark’s sure he’s been in the forest for longer than ten minutes but he actually likes it here. It’s pretty peaceful, nothing like the city at night where it’s never quiet. Mark sits down on the grass and pulls his knees up to his chest, tilting his head back to look at the stars. He’s always liked the stars. When he was younger and would visit his grandparents in the countryside he’d sit on the big tree outside their house for hours just to look at them. Mark gets his best grades in astronomy and he thinks maybe he’ll become an astronaut some day just to feel closer to them.

The sky is wide and open, almost welcoming on nights like these were Mark doesn’t freeze his ass off and his neck doesn’t strain from looking up for too long. It rustles behind him but Mark doesn’t move. It’s either an animal or some other person from the camp coming to find him. Marl doubts anyone else would be out here at this time.

Turns out Mark was wrong. A boy Mark has never seen before sits down next to him and if Mark wasn’t so mesmerized he’d ask himself what he was doing here. But as it is Mark just stares at the boy and marvels at his beauty. It’s not hard to look at the other when his eyes sparkle like that and he looks so soft in the harsh light of the moon. The boy isn’t looking back at Mark. He’s looking at the sky, maybe at the stars like Mark had done before, maybe at the moon.

Mark uses the opportunity to commit everything about the boy to memory. He doesn’t seem permanent, like he’s going to disappear the second Mark looks away. It’s a bit hard to make out anything but vague shapes when the moon isn’t bright enough but those shapes alone are enough for Mark to fall. He’s never talked to the boy, doesn’t know his name, has never even seen him before but still Mark falls. He doesn’t know if he falls in love but it doesn’t feel bad.

Finally the boy turns to look at Mark and he’s almost sure the others cheeks glitter when he turns his head.

“My name’s Haechan. What’s yours?” the boy asks and Mark’s fall feels faster. His voice is a little high pitched, a little unusual but not bad. It has a ring to it, something Mark can’t quite put his finger on.

“You can call me Mark,” Mark replies and in the moonlight it seems like Haechan smirks. Mark can’t be sure but the sparkle in Haechan’s eyes seems to get even brighter then. Haechan turns his body to face Mark fully and Mark’s gaze flickers down to his clothes. They seem a bit short considering how cold it was in the forest. Haechan was sitting in front of Mark in just a tank top and shorts while Mark was sporting a fluffy hoodie over a shirt and the longest pants he owned.

“What are you doing out here Mark?”

Mark shrugs. He could give Haechan the answer, it’s not like it was anything elaborate or bad but he didn’t feel like it. Instead he says, “I could ask you the same thing.”

Haechan’s laugh rings loud and clear in the silence of the forest and for some reason the forest feels a bit more alive for that instant. Mark cracks a smile even though he doesn’t know why and Haechan throws him a breathtaking smile of his own.

“I like it out here. It’s always so noisy anywhere else.”

Mark understands that so he nods and Haechan continues, “This clearing is my favourite spot in the forest. Not a lot of other people come here. It’s pretty far in.”

Mark hums noncommittally and decides then that it’s a good idea to lie down. So he does just that, lowering himself until he can look at the stars without having to put a burden on his neck. Haechan stays still next to him for a while but then lays down himself, right next to Mark, their arms almost touching. Mark can feel the heat coming off of Haechan and has half a mind of stopping himself before he can grab the other’s hand. It’s not exactly normal to want to do that after two minutes of having talked to each other but somehow it didn’t seem as wrong to Mark as it probably should have.

“I just happen to be here. I’m not going to take away your safe space,” Mark rasps before clearing his throat along with his head. But it doesn’t seem to do him any good. In fact, it probably makes it worse. Mark thinks about holding Haechan’s hand, running his fingers up Haechan’s arms and burying them in Haechan’s soft looking hair. He thinks about sitting up and leaning in to kiss Haechan, about Haechan reciprocating whatever Mark does to him.

Mark sneaks a glance at Haechan and tries to compose himself. This isn’t normal, he shouldn’t think like that considering how little they know about each other. Considering they met, and still are, in a forest.

Haechan, if he sees any of the turmoil going on inside of Mark, doesn’t make a move to distance himself from Mark, simply turns his head to look at him properly. Mark holds his breath as a lazy smile slowly makes its way onto Haechan’s face.

“How old are you?” Haechan asks and Mark almost tells him but then he catches a glimpse of the glitter on Haechan’s cheekbones and at the same time he catches himself.

“Why do you want to know? Want to make sure I’m in the range of ages you can kidnap?”

Haechan laughs again and again it rings and again the forest feels more alive. Mark holds his breath as he watches Haechan throw his head back and laugh at the sky. He’s clutching his stomach when he finishes, still giggling, and then he looks at Mark.

It’s like the world stops. For a moment Mark forgets how to breathe. Haechan looks ethereal. There’s a kind of mirth in his eyes Mark had never seen before. His cheeks are glittering and his eyes sparkling and for a brief moment Mark sees the stars in Haechan’s eyes and the sky is black. Only the moon hangs lonely for a second and then Mark comes back to his senses and everything is back to normal again.

Well, as normal as it can get with both Mark and Haechan sitting up suddenly. All traces of Haechan’s laughter and mirth are gone now, there’s nothing but disbelief on his face. Mark can’t quite believe it himself and the fact that Haechan had seemed to feel it too stunned him. It made him speechless, unable to do anything but look at the ethereal beauty that was Haechan and drink everything in he was offering him. Haechan’s eyes flicker over Mark’s face. They look a bit like they’re searching for something and having found something at the same time. Mark thinks he can relate. He feels like he’s searched for Haechan his entire life and like he’s finally found him but now he wants to know more about Haechan, wants to find out more about him.

“What did you do?” Haechan asks, sounding breathless and Mark wants to know that too. There wasn’t any kind of logical explanation for what had just happened. They continue staring at each other until Mark finally has the courage to answer.

“I didn’t do anything but I feel like I should.”

The way he says it is almost as breathless as Haechan had asked. Haechan’s eyes flicker down to Mark’s lips and Mark tingles all over. He’s never felt like this before. Mark has never had anyone look at him the way Haechan does and he’s sure he’s looking at him the same way. Mark’s own gaze lands on Haechan’s lips for a bit too long, at least long enough to make Mark wonder if they are as soft as they seem and if they taste as sweet. The thought doesn’t seem as inappropriate as it is supposed to but at this point Mark has given up on himself.

It doesn’t take long for Haechan to slide closer, close enough that all Mark can see are his eyes and the ever present sparkle in them. Haechan smells a bit like the forest. A bit earthy, herbal but there’s something sweeter underneath, a bit like flowers. Mark is torn between holding his breath and taking in everything Haechan has to offer.

“Can I kiss you?”

Haechan is already close enough for Mark to feel his breath on his lips. He scoffs and grabs Haechan by the collar.

“You ask an awful lot of questions,” is all he offers before pulling Haechan in and sneaking a hand into his hair. Haechan sighs against his mouth, like he’s been waiting for this his whole life and Mark can’t help but feel like it too. Something unwinds in his chest, makes him close his eyes and pull Haechan closer.

It shouldn’t feel this right, not when they barely even know each other. But Haechan winds one arm around Mark’s shoulders and then places the other on his cheek. The kiss is slower than Mark thought it would be. Their lips move slowly, almost like they’re both calculating what they’re allowed to do. Then Mark moves his hand from Haechan’s collar to the side of his neck, trailing his hand over his skin in the process and Haechan seems to loose his mind. He tilts his head and opens his mouth to let his tongue slip out. He licks at the seam of Mark’s lips and pushes his body to Mark’s body but he doesn’t go farther than that.

Again and again Haechan licks over Mark’s lips but won’t allow him to reciprocate. Mark uses the weapon he’s learned to utilize since he had his first boyfriend. He whines and pulls on Haechan’s hair. Much to Mark’s surprise it has the desired affect, maybe an even better one. Haechan gasps against his mouth and presses his body closer, now almost sitting in Mark’s lap. Mark doesn’t waste the chance and licks into Haechan’s mouth. It warm but there’s a tinge of _something_. He doesn’t know what it tastes like but he doesn’t care when Haechan rewards him with the prettiest sounds. Just like his voice they are high pitched and Mark feels like it’s a nice contrast to the deep rumble in his own chest.

They continue like that for a while, pulling and pushing at each other, licking and tasting. When Mark sucks on Haechan’s tongue and the other let’s out a soft moan they stop but they don’t let go. Haechan looks down at Mark from his position in his lap and again the sparkle seems to brighten but this time the stars stay in the sky. Mark smooths his hand along Haechan’s neck, over his arm to his hand and Haechan shivers under his touch. He looks pretty with his spit slicked lips and ruffled hair, like he was meant to be put in a museum. Mark licks his own lips as he takes Haechan’s hand and watches the other’s eyes dip down to his lips again.

They may have stopped kissing but the atmosphere hasn’t changed. It’s electrifying, a bit like it wants to be freed.

“Will you let me take you somewhere?” Mark asks his first real question towards Haechan and he only nods, still looking a bit out of it. So Mark moves Haechan from his lap and gets up but doesn’t let go of Haechan’s hand. Haechan doesn’t complain so Mark interlaces their fingers properly and marches off the clearing.

He doesn’t know how but he finds the camp faster than he left it. The fire is not out yet and some figures are still sitting around it. If Mark had been thinking straight he would have gone over there and told them he’s back but, as all he could think about is Haechan, he doesn’t. The cabins are all dark, everyone either sleeping or not occupying them. Mark goes straight to his own, pulling Haechan inside and marching up to his neatly done bed. He doesn’t think about, or even see, the other bed in the room. Not when all he can see is Haechan.

Mark sits down on the bed and pulls Haechan into his lap again. He’s not sure how far he wants to go. He feels like there are lines neither of them can cross yet. Still he leans up and the kiss he and Haechan share is slow again, almost sweet. Mark wants to rid Haechan of his jacket but since he’s not wearing one he settles with putting his hands on Haechan’s waist. Haechan’s breath hitches but he buries his fingers in Mark’s hair and sighs into his mouth.

Little noises fill the cabin, not only coming from Haechan but from Mark as well. One of Haechan’s hands drops down to the seam of Mark’s hoodie, tugging at it insistently and Mark complies, lifting his arms so Haechan pulls it off. When he finds a shirt still covering Mark’s chest he looks a bit disappointed. Haechan pouts and Mark leans up to kiss it away. Then he kisses along Haechan’s jaw line and down his neck, biting down on the dip of his collarbone.

“What’re you so impatient for, baby?” Mark asks as Haechan whines. It feels familiar. Their situation, Haechan’s body against Mark’s, their warmth mingling, making the room almost unbearably hot. Mark doesn’t dwell on it however, flipping them so that Haechan is lying down on the bed and Mark hovers over him. Haechan’s hair is splayed out against the pillow and in the dim light Mark’s almost sure he’s red in the face. Mark disregards it, instead leaning down to kiss, bite and suck all over Haechan’s collarbones again and when there’s no unmarked collarbone anymore he moves up to his neck. Haechan is writhing under him, whining and moaning, his hands flitting, feather-light, over Mark’s sides up to his shoulder blades and back down again.

Haechan pants next to Mark’s ear as he sucks yet another hickey on his neck. Mark wants to shout to the world that Haechan belongs to him, has always belonged to him, always will. He slips his hands under Haechan’s top and his breath hitches again.

“Mark. Mark,” he breathes and Mark detaches himself from Haechan just enough to be able to look into his eyes.

“What is it Haechan?” he asks, feeling like the use of Haechan’s name it important here. Haechan places a hand on Mark’s cheek and Mark leans into the contact but keeps his eyes on the boy under him.

“Is your name really Mark?”

The question is meek and Mark almost doesn’t hear it over the loud thumping of his heart. But he does hear it and he almost does a double take, almost being the key word here. Instead he smiles and places a hand over Haechan’s.

“’Course it is baby. I’d never lie to you.”

Haechan is still panting slightly as a bright smile finds its place on his face and this time Mark knows he falls in love.

“My name’s Donghyuck.”

This time Mark _does_ do a double take. Donghyuck. He knows Donghyuck. He’s known Donghyuck. Before at least, not in this life. This life.

Mark stares down at Haechan, no, Donghyuck, and he feels himself mirroring his smile. They’d found each other again. Again they’d felt familiar from the start, again they had loved each other from the start.

“I missed you,” Mark breathes, tears threatening to fall, and Donghyuck’s smile dims a little, without a doubt recalling the last time they had seen each other. The hospital bed, the bright lights, Donghyuck’s weak hands and his weak heart.

“I’m sorry,” he says, “but we’re here now. We’re together again.”

Mark nods and when he leans down this time to kiss Donghyuck it’s neither passionate nor slow. It’s sweet, simple, a bit of a reminder neither of them really knew they needed. They’re together again, could be together again. Mark smiles into the kiss and so does Donghyuck. However, their little peaceful moment doesn’t last long as Donghyuck flips them over and smirks down at Mark.

“I’m a fucking fairy this time. Fairies are superior. We have magic.”

Donghyuck wiggles his fingers but Mark only rolls his eyes at him.

“Like hell you- holy fucking shit!”

Mark gasps as Donghyuck removes his fingers from Mark’s stomach, shit-eating grin still in place. The warmth in Mark’s lower region settles slower than it had come and Mark fights off the urge to arch his back to have Donghyuck’s hands on him again.

“What the fuck kind of magic do you have?” he asks, out of breath from basically nothing but Donghyuck doesn’t answer, instead capturing Mark’s lips in a searing hot kiss, leaving Mark gasping for air. Donghyuck’s hands make heir way under Mark’s shirt. They’re warm and Mark’s hips automatically buck up, searching for whatever Donghyuck had done to him before. Donghyuck doesn’t comply. He never does, never did. He leans down to suck and bite at Mark’s sensitive spots instead. They’re always the same, right under his ear where the jaw and the neck connect and right at the base of his neck. Mark gasps again and moans, gripping Donghyuck’s hair harder than he needs to but Donghyuck brought this upon himself and he knows exactly what he’s doing.

“We need to make up for all the time we lost last time,” Donghyuck mumbles against Mark’s skin and all he can do is nod, not trusting his voice to do its job.

Donghyuck rids Mark of his shirt and then removes his top but before anything they’ve both been craving for too long can happen the door to the cabin flies open.

“What are we- Ew! What the fuck Mark!” Chenle screeches and both Mark and Donghyuck look back at him. Chenle, Jeno and Renjun, Mark’s friends in this life, stand in the door, staring at Mark and Donghyuck with varying levels of disbelief and horror. It’s Renjun who comes to life first, pushing the other two out of the room.

“Have fun, we won’t bother you,” he quickly says before shutting the door. Mark and Donghyuck turn to look at each other, first breaking into grins then full-on laughter. Donghyuck pulls out his hands out from under Mark’s shirt and falls into bed beside him, curling into his side as they both continue to shake with laughter.

After they calm down they don’t try to start anything again. The atmosphere was ruined and this time they don’t have to fear every passing second anyways. Donghyuck throws an arm over Mark’s torso and nuzzles his face into the crook of his neck. Mark leans his cheek against Donghyuck’s head and takes a deep breath.

“You smell nice.”

“Thanks.”

And that’s that. In the morning Mark will wake up with an armful of Donghyuck and a pouting Chenle on the other side of the room, in the bed that was assigned to him. In the morning Mark will have to explain who Donghyuck is and how they met but for now Mark is glad he isn’t afraid of the dark, especially not the one in nature.


End file.
